Textile structure element and method for producing same

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a textile structure element, having textile stretch elements and integrated textile support elements, wherein, in places, the stretch elements and the support elements are interconnected and allow, at least in part, a spatial expansion of at least one fillable stretch element and/or support element.

The present invention relates to a textile structural element.

Mechanical and pneumatic structural elements are known which are used primarily in automated systems also using robotics, for example, for the manipulation of objects.

Linear movements have the aim, for example, to move an object from position A to position B or grasp an object or an object to secure a stable position spatially, etc. To achieve this, complicated drives, constructions or controls are employed, which directly, via rotational, translational or pivotal connections or indirectly, by means of hydraulic devices, chain drives or air cylinders result in the corresponding movements. For this purpose machine elements are traditionally used extensively in the engineering, which are often prone to wear and also costly and often require a large expenditure of sensors and precision control.

Also well known are structural elements for the configuration of spatial structures such as houses, industrial buildings, walls, partitions, etc., made of metal, foil, concrete, etc. which commonly feature the need for a supporting apparatus or skeletal support. Some of these spatial structures cannot be disassembled without some destruction and/or are no longer usable even after disassembly.

The invention has the object of proposing a textile structural element and a method for producing the same which avoids, or at least greatly diminishes, the known disadvantages of prior art.

The object is firstly achieved by a textile structural element as set forth in claim 1, namely a textile structural element, characterized by textile stretch elements and textile supporting elements, wherein said stretch elements and the supporting elements are locally connected to each other in allowing at least partially a spatial expansion of at least one inflatable stretch element and/or supporting element. The use of structural elements in accordance with the invention advantageously allows by pneumatic or hydraulic actuation and by structural elements accommodated in a spatial expansion the construction of spatial structures without an additional brace for the structural element or a plurality of structural elements in use, as well as incidentally achieving gripper functions and linear movements in conjunction with the pressurization of the airbag or air chamber structures.

In one advantageous embodiment of the invention, the textile structural element is characterized by integrated stretch elements which can be shortened, and integrated supporting elements which are extensible spatially or constant. The stretch elements in this arrangement become shortened in accordance with the invention, in thus resulting in traction, whilst the supporting elements extend, for example, in one direction in space, and result in a shortening in another direction. It is these effects that can be used to enhance the movements made by the stretch elements and the supporting elements as the design elements of which are connected together intermittently, as a result of pressure in the horizontal or vertical direction, or “into the third dimension.” In addition, the shaping possibilities of textile structural elements can be varied to boost the incentives for their use. The “arching textiles” proposed in accordance with the invention in this arrangement can also be appreciated as “textile muscles” representing actuators which by highly elegant and gentle means achieve low wear coupled with cost-effectiveness, requiring little sensing control.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the textile structural element is characterized in that the textile stretch elements and/or textile supporting elements are configured as a single and multi-layer woven textile sheeting comprising airbags or air chambers, woven in one piece (OPW=one-piece-woven technique).

The structural elements as combined in accordance with the invention consisting of supporting elements and stretch elements are joined together from both inflatable and non-inflatable elements, for example. The OPW fabricating stages can be advantageously extended by the stitching method, i.e. a specific combination of OPW structural elements with air chambers stitched with sections of fabric sheeting. The response to shaping the combined textile structural element is controlled by the pneumatic deployment of inflatable stretch or supporting elements. Shaping can also be determined by correspondingly adapting the joining of inflatable and non-inflatable components.

In an advantageous variant of the invention it is also conceivable to include the supporting elements in the form of non-textile elements (such as lightweight profiles, cylinders, tubes, etc.).

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the textile structural element is characterized by a first fabric layer comprising stretch elements, a second fabric layer comprising supporting elements and a third fabric layer comprising stretch elements. This construction simultaneously results in a flat structural element, as it is in the idle state, for example, which, depending on the activation of the first or the third layer of fabric produces a curvature upwards (convex) or downwards (concave). An exemplary configuration in this respect by, for example, designing the first fabric layer with non-contractible, quasi “passive” stretch elements, which are longer than the stretch elements of the third layer of fabric now makes it possible that the passive stretch elements are tightened when the stretch elements of the third fabric layer are activated, i.e. inflated, with the effect that the first stretch elements determine the maximum degree of curvature of the textile structural element.

In yet another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the textile structural element is characterized by a fourth fabric layer comprising supporting elements which advantageously increases the stability of the structural element.

In still another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the textile structural element is characterized by a first fabric layer comprising non-inflatable stretch elements, a second fabric layer comprising inflatable supporting elements and a third fabric layer comprising non-inflatable stretch elements. To advantage this variant provides for a predefined end position of the textile structural element, achieving a constant curvature when the supporting elements are inflated to a maximum.

In yet a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the textile structural element is characterized by a fabric layer comprising fourth, inflatable supporting elements and a fabric layer comprising fifth, inflatable stretch elements. This variant represents a variation advantageously increasing the stability of the structural element described above.

In still another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the textile structural element is characterized by stretch elements and supporting elements inflatable at least in part, wherein the stretch elements and/or the supporting elements are individually inflatable, and wherein the outer shape of the textile structural element can be varied by inflating. The advantages of the method in accordance with the invention will become apparent from the detailed discussion above.

In yet another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the structural element can be rendered curved, there being no limit to the number of possible shapes in this respect. The curved shape has the particular advantage that e.g. a hall or an archway or, for instance, other self-standing structures requiring no further supporting means can now be formed.

In yet a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the structural element is adapted to grip and/or hold and/or clamp objects. The curvature of the structural element can be extremely extended, for example, resulting in a holding, clamping or gripping device.

The object of the invention is further achieved by a method for fabricating a textile structural element as set forth in any of the claims 4 to 10, wherein in one-piece-woven (OPW) airbags, or single or multilayer woven textile sheets provided with air chambers and sections of sheet fabrics are stitched together. The advantages of the method in accordance with the invention read from the detailed discussion above, especially from the fact that the OPW stages in fabrication can be extended to advantage to the stitching process, i.e. that a specific combination of OPW structural elements with air chambers stitched with sheet fabric sections results in economically interesting solutions.

For a better understanding of the invention it is briefly described below with reference to embodiments with reference to a drawing, all FIGs. of which are diagrammatic sectional views.

FIG. 1 is a simplified diagrammatic view of a first example embodiment of a structural element in accordance with the invention shown unstretched.

FIG. 2 is a simplified diagrammatic view of the first example embodiment shown in FIG. 1 but symmetrically stretched.

FIG. 3 is a simplified diagrammatic view of the first example embodiment shown in FIG. 1 partially stretched.

FIG. 4 is a simplified diagrammatic view of a second example embodiment of a structural element in accordance with the invention partially stretched.

FIG. 5 is a simplified diagrammatic view of a third example embodiment of a structural element in accordance with the invention shown stretched.

FIG. 6 is a simplified diagrammatic view of a fourth example embodiment of a structural element in accordance with the invention shown stretched.

FIG. 7 is a simplified diagrammatic view of a fifth example embodiment of a structural element in accordance with the invention shown unstretched.

FIG. 8 is a simplified diagrammatic view of the example embodiment as shown in FIG. 7 partially stretched.

FIG. 9 is a simplified diagrammatic view of the example embodiment as shown in FIG. 7 fully stretched.

FIGS. 10 to 13 show further embodiments of textile structural elements in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 14 is a view of the textile structural element in accordance with the invention as an arched textile, here as a shelter for an automobile.

All like components in the example embodiments are identified by like reference numerals.

Referring now to FIG. 1 there is illustrated a textile structural element 1 including first stretch elements 11, second stretch elements 12 and supporting elements 21, here all fabricated as OPW fabric elements featuring attachment points 4—represented here symbolically as thick black dots—which are interconnected by a stitched seam (in contrast to the woven seam) or by an adhesive or a weld (for example, laser, ultrasound) or the like. The stretch elements 11, 12 and the supporting elements 21 are shown symbolically as small rectangles 31 arranged between lines 42 wherein the rectangles 31 are intended to represent inflatable chambers of an OPW fabric and the lines 42 are intended to represent single-layer portions of the OPW fabric. To make it easier to understand the diagram in FIG. 1 is not to scale. In fact, it would only recognize flattened superimposed woven layers I, II and III, whereas in reality the chambers and the single-layer fabric areas extend in a direction perpendicular to the plane. Rectangles symbolize chambers in the deflated state, while the same chambers are shown as circles in the inflated state.

Referring now to FIG. 2 there is illustrated the state in which the supporting elements 21 are inflated by means of an inflator (not shown), for example. The spatial expansion of the supporting elements 21, moves the stretch elements 11, 12 away from one another. The second fabric layer II has become, so to speak “three-dimensional,” while the fabric layers I and III themselves have gone through no change, but have been moved away from each other.

Referring now to FIG. 3 there is illustrated that when the stretch elements 12 of the third fabric layer III are pressurized by inflation of the air chambers, a curvature or arching of the textile structural element 1 in accordance with the invention materializes. By inflating the stretch elements 12 they become shorter and pull the attachment points 4 and thus also the parts of the supporting elements 21 fixed there towards each other, resulting ultimately in the arching of the entire structural element 1. The uninflated stretch elements 11 are stretched. It is only for a better understanding that the “empty” air chambers 31 are indicated therein.

It is also possible to pressurize both fabric layers I and III by gas inflation, resulting in a solid mat. Shaping is mainly due to the geometric design of the stretch elements and supporting elements and the line of attachment to one another.

Referring now to FIG. 4 there is illustrated as compared to FIG. 3, a second example embodiment of a textile structural element 102 with an additional fabric layer IV and—shown here already inflated—supporting elements 41.

Referring now to FIG. 5 there is illustrated a textile structural element 103 with first stretch elements 61, second stretch elements 62, supporting elements 21 and supporting elements 41 and third stretch elements 13, whereby the stretch elements 61, 62 are formed as sheet fabric, whilst the supporting elements 21 and 41 and the third stretch elements 13 are produced as OPW fabric. The first and second stretch elements 61, 62 are stretched to the maximum possible curvature of the textile structural element 103.

In this construction, two supporting layers (fabric layers II and IV) are arranged between the stretching layers (fabric layers I, III and V). The greater spacing apart of the stretch elements makes for a higher loading capacity, for example. Furthermore, shaping can now be set more precisely in addition to designing the length and contraction distance of the stretching layers.

The stretch elements 61 and 62 in this case are not acted upon with pressure, they supporting shaping simply by the distance between the attachment points.

To enhance the stability in rendering the arching more precise a stretch layer V can be added.

Referring now to FIG. 6 there is illustrated an embodiment of a textile structural element 104 in accordance with the invention similar to that as shown in FIG. 3, except that now first stretch elements 61 and second stretch elements 62 are made of sheet fabric and supporting elements 21 are made of OPW fabric. The potential curvature is stable only in the position shown when the supporting elements 21 are inflated.

In this construction one supporting layer (fabric layer II) is disposed between two stretch layers (fabric layers I and III). The stretch elements 61 and 62 in this case are not to be activated upon by this pressure. Shaping is only influenced here by the distance of the stretch elements located between the fixing points 4 and the dimensions of the supporting layer.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 to 9 there is illustrated a further, fifth example embodiment of a textile structural element 105, similar to those of FIGS. 1 to 3, except that now as illustrated here, the fifth example embodiment features in the first fabric layer I first stretch elements 61 of sheet woven fabric, and in the second and third fabric layer II, III, supporting elements 21 and stretch elements 12, both being formed as OPW fabric. The length of the first stretch elements 61 made of sheet fabric, thus shown curved, is greater than the length of the second stretch elements 12, with the result that the development of the textile structural element 105 upon pressurization of the inflatable chambers of the supporting elements 21 and the second stretch elements 12 of FIG. 7 via FIG. 8 leads to the curved position as shown in FIG. 9.

Referring now to FIGS. 10 to 13 there are illustrated further embodiments of textile structure elements in accordance with the invention, wherein the components used therein correspond to similar components of the embodiments described above having the same reference numerals. In contrast to the embodiments described above, those as shown in FIGS. 10 to 13 feature no so-called first fabric layer I so that, although less complex in design, are less stable.

Referring now to FIG. 14 there is illustrated a further embodiment of the textile structural element 107 according to the invention 107 which is very similar to the first embodiment of the invention a structural element 1 as shown in FIG. 3, except that in FIG. 14 supporting and stretch elements are added to both sides, to symbolically show how the inventive textile structural element as an arched textile, for example, can provide a shelter for an automobile 93. The structural element 107 stands—arched over the car 93—on the ground 100. Of course, this illustration is not to scale. It is also to be noted that the textile structural element 107 as shown in FIG. 14, the same as all other textile structural elements of the invention described herein, can be compressed very space-saving for storage after the inflatable chambers have been deflated and relaxed.

It is understood that all structural elements cited in the claims and the example embodiments (FIGS. 1 to 14) as mentioned above in accordance with the invention extend more or less in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing, i.e., the structural elements shown therein with their inflatable or otherwise with gas or liquid pressurized chambers, may extend elongated and/or become so, in becoming configured as a channel and/or tubular-like structure.

It is understood that any indication in the present description as to chambers or airbags being “inflated”, this always includes the meaning of being charged with fluids, such as gases, liquids, or foams, as well as including fluids which cure hard at least, i.e. in becoming solids.

The invention is, for example, applicable also for the following applications such as pneumatic structural elements, temporary rescue shelters, supporting structures, bionic structures (flat-hollow hand palm), load securing of sensitive goods, textile clamps, baseball mitts, inner linings of silos, buffered connections, butt connector, tensairity structures such as bridge building components, aircraft wings etc. used. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A textile structural element, having textile stretch elements and integrated textile supporting elements, wherein said stretch elements and the supporting elements are portionally interconnected and at least partially allow a spatial expansion of at least one inflatable stretch element and/or supporting element, characterized in that said textile stretch elements and/or textile supporting elements are configured woven in one piece, i.e. as OPW (OPW=one-piece-woven) airbags or as single and multilayer woven textile sheeting provided with air chambers.
 2. The textile structural element as set forth in claim 1, characterized by contractible stretch elements and spatially expandable or constant supporting elements.
 3. The textile structural element as set forth in claim 1, characterized by a first fabric layer (I) comprising textile stretch elements, a second fabric layer (II) comprising fabric supporting elements and a third fabric layer (III) comprising textile stretch elements.
 4. The textile structural element as set forth in claim 3, characterized by a fourth fabric layer (IV) comprising textile supporting elements.
 5. The textile structural element as set forth in claim 1, characterized by a first fabric layer (I) comprising non-inflatable textile stretch elements, a second fabric layer (II) comprising inflatable textile supporting elements and a third fabric layer (III) comprising non-inflatable textile stretch elements.
 6. The textile structural element as set forth in claim 5, characterized by a fourth fabric layer (IV) comprising inflatable fabric supporting elements and a fifth fabric layer (V) comprising inflatable textile stretch elements.
 7. The textile structural element, as set forth in claim 1, comprising at least partially inflatable stretch elements and supporting elements, characterized in that said stretch elements and/or the supporting elements are individually inflatable, and in that the outer shape of the textile structural element can be changed by inflating.
 8. The textile structural element as set forth in claim 7, characterized in that said structural element can be rendered curved.
 9. The textile structural element as set forth in claim 7, characterized in that said structural element is adapted to grip and/or hold and/or clamp objects.
 10. A method of producing a textile structural element as set forth in claim 3, characterized in that one-piece-woven (OPW=one-piece-woven) airbags or textile sheeting woven single and multilayer and provided with air chambers (31) and portions of fabric sheeting are stitched together. 